We are in the final countdown phase now aren't we!?! Are your...
Lights Strung...
...and Stockings Hung?
Cookies Baked...
... and Gifts Bought?
If you are in my camp with a host of stuff yet to be done then skip the yummy and opt to sip on something with immune boosters included cuz we have work to do! :)
But what ever situation best describes you I hope you can take a moment or two to Chew on this Verse..."...and they bowed down and worshiped HIM. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts."
Matthew 2:11 NIV
For those of you intimately acquainted with the Real Christmas Story you know that the 'they' referred to here are the Magi...commonly referred to as the Three Kings...
Truth be told...we don't know how many Kings or Wise Men showed up.
What we do know about this band of travelers is that...
* they journeyed a long distance to see the "king of the Jews"
* they found Jesus by following a star
* they sought Him to worship Him
* they gave Jesus 3 gifts
There are so many rich bites in this part of the Christmas Story and so many interesting facts regarding this band of men...how they knew to follow the star...when they actually found Jesus...but we just don't have the time for all of that right now.
What I do want to focus on is that they presented Jesus with Gifts as part of their worship...and we should too...it is His Birthday after all! :)
For years now my family and I have made giving Jesus a gift at Christmas a priority.
We begin to pray over Thanksgiving weekend asking the Lord to tell us what He would like for His Christmas present...when we feel confident that we know what His wish list is we write it down on a piece of paper...then we place it in our own special box under the tree...
On Christmas morning these are the 1st gifts opened...we share our gifts with each other...placing our focus on the true meaning of Christmas...and responding in like in a small way to the Ultimate Christmas Gift from our Father - JESUS!
Our gifts are usually a year long commitment of some sort ranging from...praying for unsaved friends to taking better care of the body He has given us to being in charge of bringing food to the church food pantry each week to doing better at obeying mommy and daddy the first time they ask.
The gifts vary year by year and family member by family member but the heart of the process remains the same...to acknowledge that this Holiday really is about Jesus and to draw closer to Him through this Season and walk with Him more closely through out the coming year.
I know we only have 6 days left until we celebrate His birthday and we may have countless things left on our to-do lists but we have plenty of time to seek Him for what He wants this year and wrap that up and place in under the tree and at the top of our heart!
Serving Him and you,
~Michelle...ApronGirl
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